Bumper clamp



NOV. 19, 1929. s, JANDUS 1,735,901

BUMPER CLAMP Filed July 18, 1927 Patented Nov. 19, 1929 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE HERBERT S. JANDUS, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR,V BYMESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO GENERAL SPRING BUMPER CORPORATION, A CORPORATION FMICHIGAN BUMPER CLAMP Application filed July 18,

This invention relates to a clamp for vehicle bumpers and moreparticularly to a clamp plate against which the several bars of thebumper may be clamped.

An object of the invention is to provide a clamp which may beconvenientlyapplied to the bumper. A further object is to provide such aclamp which can be economically constructed of suitable material andwhich at the same time will insure the rigid connection of the bumperbars under serviceconditions. A further object is to provide such abumper which will at the same time present an attractive appearance inconjunction with the remainder of the bumper.

`Further objects will be apparent from the V descri-ption and drawingsand from the use of the articles covered by the claims.

In the vdrawings Fig. 1 represents a plan view of a bumper with mycla-mp attached at its central portion; Fig. 2 represents a fractionalfront elevation of the central portion of the bumper shown in Fig. 1,showing the clamp in detail; Fig. 3 shows a sectional View taken on theline 3 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 shows a rear view of the front plate of theclamp;

Fig. 5 shows a sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2; Fig. 6represents a Sectional view talren on the line 6-6 of F ig. 2.

For the purpose of describing my clamp I will assume the bumper to beattached to the front of a vehicle and the terms front and rear7 will beused in reference'to such assumption. Corresponding parts of the bumperand clamp will be indicated by like numerals throughout the severalfigures of vthe CII drawings.

The reference characters 1 and 2 denote the impact bars of a bumper ofthe general type shown in U. S. Patent No. 1,372,154, issued March 22,1921 to Allan L. McGregor. It is not intended, however, to herebyrestrict the use of my clamp to any particular type of bumper and itsapplicability to other types of bumpers will be apparent to one skilledin the art. The rear bar 3 of the bumper is pivotally connected at itsends to the ends of the impact bars by means of the pins 4:, 4, 00- andits central portion is bent forwardly and 1927. Serial No. 206,436.

is connected to the central portion of the impact bars by means of myclamp.

rlhe clamp consists of a front plate 5, a rear plate 6, and cap screws 7and 8 passing through the plate 6, between the bars 1 and 3, and 2 `and3, respectively, and into threaded apertures in the portion 9 of theclamp plate 5.` The plate 5 is preferably cast or forged and if so maybe of any suitable material capable of being die cast or forged. Thisplate is provided with a raised rib 10, projectingk from its rearsurface and extending around its periphery, which may bear upon thefront surfaces of the bars 1, 2 and 3. At the upper and lowerextremities of this plate the portions 11 and 12 project rearwardly toprovide a bearing surface for edges of the impact bars. In the rearsurface of this plate there is provided a recess 13 for the reception ofa suitably configured plate 9. The plate 9 is rigidly fastened to theplate 5 by means of studs 14 and 15 which are integral with the plate 5and adapted to pass through suitable apertures in the plate 9 and to beupset therein as shown at 16 and 17 respectively. The plate 9, which maybe of steel or other suitable material, is adapted to bear upon thefront surfaces of the several bars and is provided with threadedapertures 18 and 19, placed opposite the spaces between the impact bars,for the reception of the ends of the cap screws 7 and respectively.

In the assembly of my plate 5 I have allowed a space 13fL between theplate 9 and the bottom of the recess 13 in order ythat they projectionof the shanks of the cap screws 7 and 8 beyond the edge of the plate 9will not force the plate 5 from the plate 9.

In assembling the clamp plate upon a bumper I place the plate 5 upon thefront surface of the impact bars so that the steel portion 9 bears uponthe several bars and the projecting portions 11 and 12 bear kupon edgesof the impact bars 1 and 2. The plate 6 is then applied to the rearsurface of the bars so that it will bear upon the rear surface of thebar 3 and so that the apertures therein will register with those in theinlaid plate 9. The cap screws 7 and 8 are then passed'through theapertures in the plate 6,

between the impact and rear bars, and are screwed into the threadedapertures 18 and 19 in the plate 9.

rEhe rear plate 6 is shown as straight and only in contact with the bar3. It is intended that this plate be of relatively soft material whichwill be bent by the pressure of the cap screws 7 and 8 until its endsare in contact with the rear surfaces of the bars 1 and 2. It isapparent that this plate may be initially bent to provide a bearing uponthe rear surfaces of the impact bars and the particular configurationshown for this'plate is not essential to my invention.

By the use of the clamp plate I have here described the plate 5 may becast or forged in any suitable shape to meet the structural andornamental requirements. The steel inlaid portion 9 may then be insertedand the ends of the studs 14 and 15 upset to hold the two platesrifridly together. It is preferable that the surface of the plate 9 beslightly raised above the surface of the projection 10 in order that thegreatest strain upon the clamp will be upon the steel plate. The steelplate provides material into which the cap screws may be permanentlythreaded and provides a bearing surface of a material or sufficienttensile strength to withstand the shocks to which it is likely to besubjected while in service. rlhe cast or forged plate 5 may be of lessexpensive material and may be more readily and inexpensively produced inthe desired shape. l

lt is apparent that my clamp could be used at other positions upon thebumper where it is desired to connect several bars and it is notintended to hereby restrict its use to a center clamp.

Having'thus described my invention, what l claim is l. he combinationwith a pair of spaced impact bars anda reinforcing bar adapted to beconnected thereto, of a clamp for holding said impact bars in properspaced relation to the reinforcing bar, said clamp consisting of a castplate having a steel plate recessed therein and rigidly attached to therear surface thereof and adapted to bear upon the front surfaces of theimpact and reinforcing bars, a plate adapted to bear upon the rearsurface of the reinforcingbar and means, passing through said lastmentioned plate and between the impact and reinforcing bars, adapted toscrew into the recessed portion of the front plate, for drawing saidplates toward cach other. V

2. The combination with a pairof spaced impact bars and a reinforcingbar adapted to be connected thereto, of a clamp for holding said bars inproper spaced relation, said clamp including a cast metal plate having asteel plate recessed therein, and rigidly attachee to the rear surfacethereof, said steel plate being adapted to bear upon the front surfaceof a bar, a plate adapted to bear upon the rear surface of thereinforcing bar and means, passing between said impact and reinforcingbars and adapted to screw into the inlaid portion of the front plate,for drawing said plates together.

3. The combination with spaced impact bars and an auxiliary bar adaptedto be connected thereto, of a clamp to hold said bars in proper spacedrelation, said clamp including a steel plate adapted to bear upon thefront surface of the impact bars, a cast metal plate adapted to berigidly connected to said steel plate, a plate adapted to bear upon therear surface of one of the bars, and means for drawing said front andrear plates toward each other. l

4;. The combination with spaced impact bars and an auxiliary bar adaptedto be connected thereto, of a clamp to hold said bars in proper spacedrelation, said clamp including a steel plate adapted to bear upon thefront surface of the impact bars, a plate adapted to be rigidlyconnected to said steel plate, a plate adapted to bear upon the rearsurface of the auxiliary bar, and means for drawing said front and rearplates toward each other, said last mentioned means consisting of athreaded shank adapted to pass between the impact and auxiliary bars andto be screwed into suitable threaded apertures in the steel plate andhaving shoulders adapted to bear upon the rear surface of the rearplate.

5. The combination, of a pair of vertically spaced bumper bars and anauxiliary bar adapted to be connected thereto, of means for clamping thesaid bars, said clamping means consisting of a steel plate adapted tobear upon the front surfaces of the impact bars, a plate rigidlyattached to said steel plate and adapted to bear upon the outer edges ofthe impact bars, a plate adapted to bear uponthe rear surface of one ofsaid bars and means, adapted to screw into said steel plate, for drawingsaid front and rear plates toward each other.

G. The combination with spaced bumper bars and an auxiliary bar, ofmeans for holding said bars in proper spaced relation, said meansconsisting of a metal plate adapted to bear upon the front surface ofthe spaced bars, a plate rigidly connected to said bearing plate andadapted to cover the same, a rear plate adapted to bear upon the rearsurface of the auxiliary bar and means adapted to screw into said frontbearing plate for drawing said front and rear plates toward each other.

7. The combination with spaced bumper bars and an auxiliary bar, ofmeans for holding said bars in proper spaced relation, said meansincluding a plate adapted to bear upon the front surfaces of the spacedbars, a plate adapted to be rigidly attached to said bearing plat`e andto cover the same, a plate adapted to bear upon the rear surface of abar, and means for drawing said bearing plates toward each other.

8. The combinationwith spaced bumper bars and an auxiliary bar, of meansfor holding said bars in proper spaced relation, said means including aplate adapted to bear upon the front surfaces of the spaced bars, aplate adapted to be rigidly attached to said bearing plate and to coverthe same, a plate adapted to bear upon the rear surface of a bar, andmeans for drawing` said plates toward each other, said means beingadapted to pass between the spaced and the auxiliary bars and to screwinto the front bearing plate.

9. The combination with spaced impact bars and an auxiliary bar, ofmeans for holding said impact bars in proper spaced relation to theauxiliary bar, said means consisting of a plate adapted to bear upon thefront surface of the impact bars, a plate rigidly connected to saidbearing plate, a rear plate adapted to bear upon the rear surface of theauxiliary bar and means for drawing said plates toward each other.

10. The combination with spaced impact bars and an auxiliary bar, ofmeans for holding' said impact bars in proper spaced relation to theauxiliary bar, said means consisting of a plate adapted to bear upon thefront surface of the impact bars, a plat-e rigidly connected to saidbearing plate, a rear plate adapted to bear upon the rear surface of theauxiliary bar and means for drawing said plates toward each other, saidmeans consisting of cap screws adapted to pass between the impact andauxiliary bars and screw into threaded apertures in the front bearing`plate.

11. A clamp for bumper bars including a steel plate adapted to bear uponthe front surfaces of the bars, said plate being rigidly connected bymeans of studs passing therethrough to a plate adapted to cover the saidbearing plate, a rear plate adapted to bear upon the rear surface of abar, and means for drawing said plates toward each other, said meansconsisting of cap screws adapted to screw into the said front plate.

12. A clamp for bumper bars including a plate adapted to bear upon thefront surfaces of the bars, said plate being rigidly fixed to a plateadapted to cover the said bearing plate, a rear plate adapted to bearupon the rear surface of a bar and means for drawing said plates towardeach other.

13. A clamp for bumper bars including a plate adapted to bear upon thefront surface of the bars, said plate being rigidly fixed to a plateadapted to cover the said bearing plate, a rear plate adapted to bearupon the rear surface of a bar and means for drawing said plates towardeach other, said last mentioned means being' adapted to screw intosuitable threaded apertures in the front bearing plate. l

- 141. Aclamp plate for bumper bars, said plate including a cast portionhaving a recess therein for the reception of a plate adapted towithstand severe shocks, and having studs adapted to pass throughsuitable apertures in the said first mentioned plate and be rivetedthereto.

15. A clamp plate for an automobile bumper, said clamp plate consistingof a cast plate havinga recess in its rear surface and studs projectingtherefrom, a metal plate having apertures to receive said studs andbeing adapt-ed to lit within said recessed portion and to .be rigidlyconnected to said cast plate by means ofthe studs, said last mentionedplate having a threaded aperture therein for the reception of a screw.

16. A clamp plate-for an automobile bumper, said clamp plate consisting'of a metal plate having a recess in its rear surface and studs therein,a plate having apertures to receive said studs and being .adapted to litinto said recessed portion and to be rigidly connected theretoby meansof said studs.

17. A bar clamp including a plate having a recessed portion in its rearsurface, a plate adapted to lit into said recessed portion and to befastened thereto by means 0f studs projecting from the said plate, aplate adapted to bear upon the rear surface of a bumper bar and meansfor drawing said plates toward each other.

18. A bar clamp including a plate having a recessed portion in its rearsurface, a plate adapted to fit into said recessed portion and to befastened thereto by means of studs projecting from the said plate andthrough apertures in said bar, a plate adapted to bear upon the rearsurface of a plate and means adapted to screw into suitably threadedapertures in said clamp plate for drawing said plates toward each other.

19. The combination with a pair of spaced impact bars, of a bearingplate adapted to bear upon the front surfaces of said bars, a frontplate fixed to and supported by said bearing plate, a rear plate adaptedto bear upon the rear surface of one of said bars, and clamping meansfor drawing said bearing plate and said rear plate toward each other.

20. A bar clamp including a bearing plate adapted to bear upon the frontsurface of a bar, a front plate adapted to be fastened to and supportedby said bearing plate, one of said plates having a projecting port-ionadapted to bear upon an edge of the bar, a rear plate adapted to bearupon the rear surface of the bar, and means for drawing said bearing andrear plates toward each other.

21. A clamp plate comprising an ornamental plate havin@v a recess in itsrear surface, a bearing plate adapted to be positioned in said recessand to be fixed to said ornamental plate,

said bearing` plate having a threaded aperture therein and said recessproviding a space between it and the bearing plate opposite saidaperture.

22. A clamp for a vehicle bumper including an ornamental plate, abearing plate fixed to the rear surface thereof and havinof its bearingsurface raised above the edge of the first mentioned plate, and clampingmeans connected to said bearing plate, said bearing plate being` ofmaterial suitable to withstand the shear strains set up when clamped.

28. A clamp for a vehicle bumper including an ornamental plate of castmaterial, a bearing plate fixed to the rear surface thereof and having`its bearing` surface raised above the edge of the first mentioned plate,and clamping means connected to said bearing plate, said bearing platebeing of material suitable to withstand the shear strains set up whenclamped.

In testimony whereof, l hereunto affix my signature.

HERBERT S. JANDUS.

